From 177752f2fe5e5b3be002ef2f57ba3a5eda26b821 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Isaac=20Rold=C3=A1n?= <isaac.roldan@shopify.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2026 12:10:35 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] notify extension dev server of app assets updates

---
 packages/app/src/cli/models/app/app.ts        | 10 ++++++++
 .../models/extensions/extension-instance.ts   |  2 +-
 .../cli/models/extensions/specification.ts    | 13 +++++++++++
 .../models/extensions/specifications/admin.ts |  5 ++++
 .../build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts   | 13 ++++++-----
 .../steps/include-assets/generate-manifest.ts | 10 ++------
 .../services/dev/app-events/file-watcher.ts   |  2 +-
 .../app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.ts     | 22 +++++++++++++++++-
 .../services/dev/extension/payload/models.ts  |  6 +++++
 .../services/dev/extension/payload/store.ts   | 23 ++++++++++++++++++-
 .../src/cli/services/dev/extension/server.ts  |  5 ++++
 .../dev/extension/server/middlewares.ts       | 14 +++++++++++
 .../dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts  |  4 ++++
 .../dev/processes/previewable-extension.ts    |  3 +++
 .../dev/processes/setup-dev-processes.ts      |  3 ++-
 .../ui-extensions-server-kit/src/types.ts     |  6 +++++
 16 files changed, 122 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/models/app/app.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/models/app/app.ts
index 5c6a5eab81c..c557afbc62b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/models/app/app.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/models/app/app.ts
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ export interface AppInterface<
   realExtensions: ExtensionInstance[]
   nonConfigExtensions: ExtensionInstance[]
   draftableExtensions: ExtensionInstance[]
+  appAssetsConfigs: Record<string, string> | undefined
   errors: AppErrors
   hiddenConfig: AppHiddenConfig
   includeConfigOnDeploy: boolean | undefined
@@ -334,6 +335,15 @@ export class App<
     )
   }
 
+  get appAssetsConfigs(): Record<string, string> | undefined {
+    if (!this.realExtensions.some((ext) => ext.specification.appAssetsConfig)) return undefined
+    return this.realExtensions.reduce<Record<string, string>>((acc, ext) => {
+      const config = ext.specification.appAssetsConfig?.(ext.configuration)
+      if (config) acc[config.assetsKey] = joinPath(this.directory, config.assetsDir)
+      return acc
+    }, {})
+  }
+
   setDevApplicationURLs(devApplicationURLs: ApplicationURLs) {
     this.patchAppConfiguration(devApplicationURLs)
     this.realExtensions.forEach((ext) => ext.patchWithAppDevURLs(devApplicationURLs))
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/extension-instance.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/extension-instance.ts
index 6da9a76ebf7..1a495d3b022 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/extension-instance.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/extension-instance.ts
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ export class ExtensionInstance<TConfiguration extends BaseConfigType = BaseConfi
       return this.specification.devSessionWatchConfig(this)
     }
 
-    return this.specification.experience === 'configuration' ? {paths: []} : undefined
+    return this.isAppConfigExtension ? {paths: []} : undefined
   }
 
   async watchConfigurationPaths() {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts
index 94907693f10..d5a89f377bf 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts
@@ -143,6 +143,19 @@ export interface ExtensionSpecification<TConfiguration extends BaseConfigType =
    * or undefined to watch all files in the extension directory.
    */
   devSessionWatchConfig?: (extension: ExtensionInstance<TConfiguration>) => DevSessionWatchConfig | undefined
+
+  /**
+   * App assets configuration for this extension.
+   * Return undefined if this extension doesn't serve app assets.
+   */
+  appAssetsConfig?: (config: TConfiguration) => AppAssetsConfig | undefined
+}
+
+export interface AppAssetsConfig {
+  /** The config key that points to the assets directory (e.g. 'admin.static_root') */
+  assetsKey: string
+  /** The assets directory relative to the extension directory */
+  assetsDir: string
 }
 
 export interface DevSessionWatchConfig {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specifications/admin.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specifications/admin.ts
index e8b132e233b..e166eb5d35e 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specifications/admin.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specifications/admin.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ const adminSpecificationSpec = createExtensionSpecification<AdminConfigType>({
     },
   ],
   appModuleFeatures: () => [],
+  appAssetsConfig: (config) => {
+    const dir = config.admin?.static_root
+    if (!dir) return undefined
+    return {assetsKey: 'staticRoot', assetsDir: dir}
+  },
 })
 
 export default adminSpecificationSpec
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts
index 6429801a725..6daf807c33a 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ describe('executeIncludeAssetsStep', () => {
       )
     })
 
-    test('throws when manifest.json already exists in the output directory', async () => {
+    test('overwrites manifest.json when it already exists in the output directory', async () => {
       // Given — a prior inclusion already copied a manifest.json to the output dir
       const contextWithConfig = {
         ...mockContext,
@@ -1056,8 +1056,7 @@ describe('executeIncludeAssetsStep', () => {
         } as unknown as ExtensionInstance,
       }
 
-      // Source files exist; output manifest.json already exists (simulating conflict);
-      // candidate output paths for tools.json are free so copyConfigKeyEntry succeeds.
+      // Source files exist; output manifest.json already exists
       vi.mocked(fs.fileExists).mockImplementation(async (path) => {
         const pathStr = String(path)
         return pathStr === '/test/output/manifest.json' || pathStr.startsWith('/test/extension/')
@@ -1081,9 +1080,11 @@ describe('executeIncludeAssetsStep', () => {
         },
       }
 
-      // When / Then — throws rather than silently overwriting
-      await expect(executeIncludeAssetsStep(step, contextWithConfig)).rejects.toThrow(
-        `Can't write manifest.json: a file already exists at '/test/output/manifest.json'`,
+      // When / Then — overwrites existing manifest.json
+      await expect(executeIncludeAssetsStep(step, contextWithConfig)).resolves.not.toThrow()
+      expect(fs.writeFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        '/test/output/manifest.json',
+        expect.any(String),
       )
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets/generate-manifest.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets/generate-manifest.ts
index c39cc8b9529..20cdc405ead 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets/generate-manifest.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets/generate-manifest.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {getNestedValue, tokenizePath} from './copy-config-key-entry.js'
 import {joinPath} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/path'
-import {fileExists, mkdir, writeFile} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/fs'
+import {mkdir, writeFile} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/fs'
 import {outputDebug} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/output'
 import type {BuildContext} from '../../client-steps.js'
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ interface ConfigKeyManifestEntry {
  * 3. Build root-level entries.
  * 4. Build grouped entries (anchor/groupBy logic) with path strings resolved
  *    via `resolveManifestPaths` using the copy-tracked `pathMap`.
- * 5. Write `outputDir/manifest.json`; throw if the file already exists.
+ * 5. Write `outputDir/manifest.json`, overwriting any existing file.
  *
  * @param pathMap - Map from raw config path values to their output-relative
  *   paths, as recorded during the copy phase by `copyConfigKeyEntry`.
@@ -113,12 +113,6 @@ export async function generateManifestFile(
   }
 
   const manifestPath = joinPath(outputDir, 'manifest.json')
-  if (await fileExists(manifestPath)) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Can't write manifest.json: a file already exists at '${manifestPath}'. ` +
-        `Remove or rename the conflicting inclusion to avoid overwriting the generated manifest.`,
-    )
-  }
   await mkdir(outputDir)
   await writeFile(manifestPath, JSON.stringify(manifest, null, 2))
   outputDebug(`Generated manifest.json in ${outputDir}\n`, options.stdout)
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/app-events/file-watcher.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/app-events/file-watcher.ts
index ca55158bae2..6b022e82cf2 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/app-events/file-watcher.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/app-events/file-watcher.ts
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ export class FileWatcher {
   private getAllWatchedFiles(): string[] {
     this.extensionWatchedFiles.clear()
 
-    const extensionResults = this.app.nonConfigExtensions.map((extension) => ({
+    const extensionResults = this.app.realExtensions.map((extension) => ({
       extension,
       watchedFiles: extension.watchedFiles(),
     }))
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.ts
index 301f1313c4d..b1e1929f732 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {ExtensionInstance} from '../../models/extensions/extension-instance.js'
 import {AbortSignal} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/abort'
 import {outputDebug} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/output'
 import {DotEnvFile} from '@shopify/cli-kit/node/dot-env'
+import {getArrayRejectingUndefined} from '@shopify/cli-kit/common/array'
 import {Writable} from 'stream'
 
 export interface ExtensionDevOptions {
@@ -112,6 +113,11 @@ export interface ExtensionDevOptions {
    * The app watcher that emits events when the app is updated
    */
   appWatcher: AppEventWatcher
+
+  /**
+   * Map of asset key to absolute directory path for app-level assets (e.g., admin static_root)
+   */
+  appAssets?: Record<string, string>
 }
 
 export async function devUIExtensions(options: ExtensionDevOptions): Promise<void> {
@@ -133,7 +139,13 @@ export async function devUIExtensions(options: ExtensionDevOptions): Promise<voi
   }
 
   outputDebug(`Setting up the UI extensions HTTP server...`, payloadOptions.stdout)
-  const httpServer = setupHTTPServer({devOptions: payloadOptions, payloadStore, getExtensions})
+  const getAppAssets = () => payloadOptions.appAssets
+  const httpServer = setupHTTPServer({
+    devOptions: payloadOptions,
+    payloadStore,
+    getExtensions,
+    getAppAssets,
+  })
 
   outputDebug(`Setting up the UI extensions Websocket server...`, payloadOptions.stdout)
   const websocketConnection = setupWebsocketConnection({...payloadOptions, httpServer, payloadStore})
@@ -144,6 +156,14 @@ export async function devUIExtensions(options: ExtensionDevOptions): Promise<voi
       extensions = app.allExtensions.filter((ext) => ext.isPreviewable)
     }
 
+    // Handle App Assets updates.
+    const appAssetsConfigs = extensionEvents.map((event) =>
+      event.extension.specification.appAssetsConfig?.(event.extension.configuration),
+    )
+    getArrayRejectingUndefined(appAssetsConfigs).forEach((config) => {
+      payloadStore.updateAppAssetTimestamp(config.assetsKey)
+    })
+
     for (const event of extensionEvents) {
       if (!event.extension.isPreviewable) continue
       const status = event.buildResult?.status === 'ok' ? 'success' : 'error'
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/models.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/models.ts
index 796f93108bd..9495c31aab6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/models.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/models.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ interface ExtensionsPayloadInterface {
     url: string
     mobileUrl: string
     title: string
+    assets?: {
+      [key: string]: {
+        url: string
+        lastUpdated: number
+      }
+    }
   }
   appId?: string
   store: string
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/store.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/store.ts
index ae4919485c1..ef2676178ea 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/store.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/payload/store.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {EventEmitter} from 'events'
 
 export interface ExtensionsPayloadStoreOptions extends ExtensionDevOptions {
   websocketURL: string
+  appAssets?: Record<string, string>
 }
 
 export enum ExtensionsPayloadStoreEvent {
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ export async function getExtensionsPayloadStoreRawPayload(
   options: Omit<ExtensionsPayloadStoreOptions, 'appWatcher'>,
   bundlePath: string,
 ): Promise<ExtensionsEndpointPayload> {
-  return {
+  const payload: ExtensionsEndpointPayload = {
     app: {
       title: options.appName,
       apiKey: options.apiKey,
@@ -40,6 +41,18 @@ export async function getExtensionsPayloadStoreRawPayload(
     store: options.storeFqdn,
     extensions: await Promise.all(options.extensions.map((ext) => getUIExtensionPayload(ext, bundlePath, options))),
   }
+
+  if (options.appAssets) {
+    const assets: Record<string, {url: string; lastUpdated: number}> = {}
+    for (const assetKey of Object.keys(options.appAssets)) {
+      assets[assetKey] = {
+        url: new URL(`/extensions/assets/${assetKey}/`, options.url).toString(),
+        lastUpdated: Date.now(),
+      }
+    }
+    payload.app.assets = assets
+  }
+  return payload
 }
 
 export class ExtensionsPayloadStore extends EventEmitter {
@@ -170,6 +183,14 @@ export class ExtensionsPayloadStore extends EventEmitter {
     this.emitUpdate([extension.devUUID])
   }
 
+  updateAppAssetTimestamp(assetKey: string) {
+    const asset = this.rawPayload.app.assets?.[assetKey]
+    if (asset) {
+      asset.lastUpdated = Date.now()
+      this.emitUpdate([])
+    }
+  }
+
   private emitUpdate(extensionIds: string[]) {
     this.emit(ExtensionsPayloadStoreEvent.Update, extensionIds)
   }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server.ts
index 456c8364c61..b7a5bd7adec 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {
   corsMiddleware,
   devConsoleAssetsMiddleware,
   devConsoleIndexMiddleware,
+  getAppAssetsMiddleware,
   getExtensionAssetMiddleware,
   getExtensionPayloadMiddleware,
   getExtensionPointMiddleware,
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ interface SetupHTTPServerOptions {
   devOptions: ExtensionsPayloadStoreOptions
   payloadStore: ExtensionsPayloadStore
   getExtensions: () => ExtensionInstance[]
+  getAppAssets?: () => Record<string, string> | undefined
 }
 
 export function setupHTTPServer(options: SetupHTTPServerOptions) {
@@ -28,6 +30,9 @@ export function setupHTTPServer(options: SetupHTTPServerOptions) {
   httpApp.use(getLogMiddleware(options))
   httpApp.use(corsMiddleware)
   httpApp.use(noCacheMiddleware)
+  if (options.getAppAssets) {
+    httpRouter.use('/extensions/assets/:assetKey/**:filePath', getAppAssetsMiddleware(options.getAppAssets))
+  }
   httpRouter.use('/extensions/dev-console', devConsoleIndexMiddleware)
   httpRouter.use('/extensions/dev-console/assets/**:assetPath', devConsoleAssetsMiddleware)
   httpRouter.use('/extensions/:extensionId', getExtensionPayloadMiddleware(options))
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server/middlewares.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server/middlewares.ts
index ed17a0f474d..98b034d63fe 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server/middlewares.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension/server/middlewares.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,20 @@ export const devConsoleAssetsMiddleware = defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
   })
 })
 
+export function getAppAssetsMiddleware(getAppAssets: () => Record<string, string> | undefined) {
+  return defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
+    const {assetKey = '', filePath = ''} = getRouterParams(event)
+    const appAssets = getAppAssets()
+    const directory = appAssets?.[assetKey]
+    if (!directory) {
+      return sendError(event, {statusCode: 404, statusMessage: `No app assets configured for key: ${assetKey}`})
+    }
+    return fileServerMiddleware(event, {
+      filePath: joinPath(directory, filePath),
+    })
+  })
+}
+
 export function getLogMiddleware({devOptions}: GetExtensionsMiddlewareOptions) {
   return defineEventHandler((event) => {
     outputDebug(`UI extensions server received a ${event.method} request to URL ${event.path}`, devOptions.stdout)
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts
index 1e9602ce520..f5914193acd 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts
@@ -351,6 +351,10 @@ export class DevSession {
       .filter((event) => event.type !== 'deleted')
       .map((event) => event.extension.uid)
 
+    // PENDING: Clean up. This is a temporary workaround because `admin` is not compatible with inheritedUids in Core.
+    // It needs to be included in the manifest always.
+    updatedUids.push('admin')
+
     const nonUpdatedUids = appEvent.app.allExtensions
       .filter((ext) => !updatedUids.includes(ext.uid))
       .map((ext) => ext.uid)
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/previewable-extension.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/previewable-extension.ts
index 387d97ebeed..935fbc948d4 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/previewable-extension.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/previewable-extension.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ interface PreviewableExtensionOptions {
   grantedScopes: string[]
   previewableExtensions: ExtensionInstance[]
   appWatcher: AppEventWatcher
+  appAssetsConfigs: Record<string, string> | undefined
 }
 
 export interface PreviewableExtensionProcess extends BaseProcess<PreviewableExtensionOptions> {
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ export const launchPreviewableExtensionProcess: DevProcessFunction<PreviewableEx
     previewableExtensions,
     appDirectory,
     appWatcher,
+    appAssetsConfigs,
   },
 ) => {
   await devUIExtensions({
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ export const launchPreviewableExtensionProcess: DevProcessFunction<PreviewableEx
     subscriptionProductUrl,
     manifestVersion: MANIFEST_VERSION,
     appWatcher,
+    appAssets: appAssetsConfigs,
   })
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/setup-dev-processes.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/setup-dev-processes.ts
index 9a2a3723740..dd458f4fe48 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/setup-dev-processes.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/setup-dev-processes.ts
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ export async function setupDevProcesses({
         })
       : undefined,
     await setupPreviewableExtensionsProcess({
-      allExtensions: reloadedApp.allExtensions,
+      allExtensions: reloadedApp.realExtensions,
       storeFqdn,
       storeId,
       apiKey,
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ export async function setupDevProcesses({
       appId: remoteApp.id,
       appDirectory: reloadedApp.directory,
       appWatcher,
+      appAssetsConfigs: reloadedApp.appAssetsConfigs,
     }),
     developerPlatformClient.supportsDevSessions
       ? await setupDevSessionProcess({
diff --git a/packages/ui-extensions-server-kit/src/types.ts b/packages/ui-extensions-server-kit/src/types.ts
index e2ef8e8eb61..43e86fcb2ad 100644
--- a/packages/ui-extensions-server-kit/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/ui-extensions-server-kit/src/types.ts
@@ -182,4 +182,10 @@ export interface App {
   }
   supportEmail?: string
   supportLocales?: string[]
+  assets?: {
+    [key: string]: {
+      url: string
+      lastUpdated: number
+    }
+  }
 }

From 42083ba98f56cf762a804c06bb3ca463e3809dcd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Isaac=20Rold=C3=A1n?= <isaac.roldan@shopify.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:26:49 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Fix CI: update test expectations, lint formatting,
 unexport AppAssetsConfig

Co-authored-by: Claude Code <claude-code@anthropic.com>
---
 packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts   | 2 +-
 .../cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts  | 5 +----
 packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.test.ts       | 1 +
 .../cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts | 8 +++++---
 4 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts
index d5a89f377bf..7c1843774d3 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/models/extensions/specification.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ export interface ExtensionSpecification<TConfiguration extends BaseConfigType =
   appAssetsConfig?: (config: TConfiguration) => AppAssetsConfig | undefined
 }
 
-export interface AppAssetsConfig {
+interface AppAssetsConfig {
   /** The config key that points to the assets directory (e.g. 'admin.static_root') */
   assetsKey: string
   /** The assets directory relative to the extension directory */
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts
index 6daf807c33a..ac4e89dfaba 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/build/steps/include-assets-step.test.ts
@@ -1082,10 +1082,7 @@ describe('executeIncludeAssetsStep', () => {
 
       // When / Then — overwrites existing manifest.json
       await expect(executeIncludeAssetsStep(step, contextWithConfig)).resolves.not.toThrow()
-      expect(fs.writeFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        '/test/output/manifest.json',
-        expect.any(String),
-      )
+      expect(fs.writeFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/test/output/manifest.json', expect.any(String))
     })
 
     test('writes an empty manifest when anchor resolves to a non-array value', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.test.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.test.ts
index a6b696159bf..b4a984be782 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/extension.test.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ describe('devUIExtensions()', () => {
       devOptions: {...options, websocketURL: 'wss://mock.url/extensions'},
       payloadStore: {mock: 'payload-store'},
       getExtensions: expect.any(Function),
+      getAppAssets: expect.any(Function),
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts
index f5914193acd..c30c47f94ec 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/dev/processes/dev-session/dev-session.ts
@@ -351,9 +351,11 @@ export class DevSession {
       .filter((event) => event.type !== 'deleted')
       .map((event) => event.extension.uid)
 
-    // PENDING: Clean up. This is a temporary workaround because `admin` is not compatible with inheritedUids in Core.
-    // It needs to be included in the manifest always.
-    updatedUids.push('admin')
+    // WORKAROUND. This is a temporary fix because `admin` is not compatible with inheritedUids in Core.
+    // It needs to be included in the manifest always if present in the app.
+    if (appEvent.app.allExtensions.some((ext) => ext.type === 'admin')) {
+      updatedUids.push('admin')
+    }
 
     const nonUpdatedUids = appEvent.app.allExtensions
       .filter((ext) => !updatedUids.includes(ext.uid))